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EMARKETER

US Time Spent With Media 2025

As Media Saturation Approaches, FAST Services Are a Bright Spot, While Social Networks Are Struggling

Report by Ethan Cramer-Flood  |  Feb 27, 2025
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Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Peak media saturation is almost here as top-line growth in time spent fizzles out
Among devices, mobile remains dominant, and CTV has almost caught up with regular TV
The 8-plus hours per day adults spend with digital media is divided among dozens of activities
Among active users, TV remains strong, Netflix and Spotify dominate, and social media is in trouble
Media Gallery
About This Report
Top-line time spent with media will grow very little in the US going forward, making it essential to identify which formats and platforms are winning the newly zero-sum competition for consumer attention.
Topics
Media Consumption
TV
Digital Video
United States
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Peak media saturation is almost here as top-line growth in time spent fizzles out
Among devices, mobile remains dominant, and CTV has almost caught up with regular TV
The 8-plus hours per day adults spend with digital media is divided among dozens of activities
Among active users, TV remains strong, Netflix and Spotify dominate, and social media is in trouble
Media Gallery

US adults’ total time spent with media per day will increase by just 2 minutes this year and only 1 minute next year. Consumer saturation is nearly here, and declines in time spent with various media are no longer uncommon. One medium’s loss is another’s gain, however, and new winners can be found.

Key Question: How much time will US adults spend consuming media each day in 2025 across devices, activities, and platforms?

Digital Video's Share of Total Video Time Continues to Grow, but Total Video Time Will Peak This Year (average hrs:mins spent with total video by US adults, % of total time spent with TV, and % of total time spent with digital video, 2020-2026)
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Key Stat: Time spent with digital video will increase by 9 minutes this year, but losses in time spent with traditional TV will almost fully offset that gain. Overall time with video will decline starting next year.

Here’s what’s in the full report

2files

Exportable files for easy reading, analysis and sharing.

11charts

Reliable data in simple displays for presentations and quick decision making.

Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Peak media saturation is almost here as top-line growth in time spent fizzles out
  1. Among devices, mobile remains dominant, and CTV has almost caught up with regular TV
  2. The 8-plus hours per day adults spend with digital media is divided among dozens of activities
  1. Among active users, TV remains strong, Netflix and Spotify dominate, and social media is in trouble
  2. Media Gallery

Charts in This Report

Digital Video's Share of Total Video Time Continues to Grow, but Total Video Time Will Peak This Year (average hrs:mins spent with total video by US adults, % of total time spent with TV, and % of total time spent with digital video, 2020-2026)Average Time Spent per Day With Total Media Is Flat-Lining in the US (average hrs:mins spent per day with total media by US adults and % change, 2022-2026)
as Time With Digital Media Ticks Up, Time With Traditional Media Ticks Down at Nearly the Same Rate (average hrs:mins spent per day with traditional vs. digital media by US adults, 2022-2026)Among Media Access Points, Mobile Devices Dominate Time Spent, but CTV Is Growing Faster (average hrs:mins spent per day with media/device among US adults, digital vs. traditional, 2014-2026)
US Adults Spend Over 8 Hours per Day With Digital Media via a Multitude of Disparate Activities (average hrs:mins spent per day among US adults with select platforms/digital activities, 2014-2026Time Spent With FAST Is Low for Now, but It's Growing Quickly (average hrs:mins spent per day with free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) by US adults, % change, and % of total time spent with digital video, 2021-2026)
Sub OTT Takes the Most Daily Digital Video Time, but FAST's Share Is Quickly Rising (US adults' % of time spent per day with digital video, by select media, 2020-2026)Among Active Users, TV Remains Far Out in Front in Time Spent per Day (average hrs:min spent per day among US adult active users of each medium, 2025)
Among Active Users, Netflix and Spotify Lead the Pack in Time Spent (average hrs:mins spent per day with select digital platforms by US adult active users, 2025)Social Network Users Will Reduce Their Time Spent for the First Time Ever This Year (average hrs:mins spent per day with social networks by US adult social network users and % change, 2020-2026)
TikTok's Users Are the Most Engaged, but the Overall Adult Population Spends More Time on Facebook (average minutes spent per day with select social network platforms among US adult active users vs. total adult population, 2025)

authors

Ethan Cramer-Flood

Contributors

Ross Benes
Senior Analyst
Zach Goldner
Senior Forecasting Analyst
Penelope Lin
Director, Data Visualization
Emma Noyes
Graphic Designer, Data Visualization
Oscar Orozco
Senior Director, Forecasting
Naomi Rebuelta
Copy Editor
Matt Torpey
Senior Chart Editor
Julia Woolever
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